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France has launched its new air pollution categorisation scheme for cars, with a strong emphasis in favour of electric vehicles over diesel. But the effectiveness of the scheme could be limited by the fact that it is only voluntary, and it is uncertain how many benefits will result for those with the cleanest cars.

Air pollution is costing more than $160 billion (€143 billion) a year in lost productivity, according to new data released by the World Bank. The data also show that air pollution has its greatest impact in poorer countries.

New test procedures for diesel cars that will, for the first time, measure their ‘real world’ emissions under the Euro 6 air quality standard have been signed off on by EU regulators. The new regime will see vehicles being taken out of the laboratories to be tested on roads.

The city council in Gothenburg has decided to keep the city’s congestion charge despite the result of a referendum held last September that called for its abolition. The decision to maintain the charge was taken in order to protect funding for a new rail tunnel under the city centre.

France has set itself on course to displace diesel as the preferred fuel for private cars, with the prime minister describing French pro-diesel transport policy as ‘a mistake’ and announcing financial incentives to replace the country’s extensive diesel car fleet in order to tackle air pollution. The mayor of Paris has also announced plans to largely ban diesel cars, buses and trucks from the city by 2020.

The unofficial capital of Europe is the most congested city in Europe, according to the latest ranking of congested cities, but opinion sampling and a vote in Gothenburg suggest public willingness for tackling congestion is not great.

High levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in cities, caused by diesel cars, are likely to persist for decades, the UK Government was recently forced to admit. In evidence to the European Court of Justice, in a case brought by Client Earth, the government admitted it would be at least 2030 before London, Leeds and Birmingham meet nitrogen dioxide standards that should have been achieved in 2010.